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Jakarta vs Manila cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Jakarta
๐ต๐ญ Manila
At a glance
- Where Manila is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (56%โ), Cocktail & wine (34%โ), Beer (24%โ)
- Where Jakarta is clearly cheaper: Convenience store (67%โ), Local meal (63%โ), Bottled water (37%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: language โ Jakarta 3 vs Manila 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Jakarta | Manila | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 30,000$1.84 | โฑ 280$4.91 | Jakarta โ63% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 14,000$0.86 | โฑ 50$0.88 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 180,000$11 | โฑ 800$14 | Jakarta โ21% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 38,000$2.33 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Jakarta โ11% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 45,000$2.76 | โฑ 120$2.11 | Manila โ24% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 130,000$7.98 | โฑ 300$5.26 | Manila โ34% |
| Bottled water | Rp 4,500$0.28 | โฑ 25$0.44 | Jakarta โ37% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 6,000$0.37 | โฑ 63$1.11 | Jakarta โ67% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 42,000$2.58 | โฑ 220$3.86 | Jakarta โ33% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | โฑ 60$1.05 | Jakarta โ13% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 3,500$0.21 | โฑ 15$0.26 | Jakarta โ18% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 100,000$6.13 | โฑ 500$8.77 | Jakarta โ30% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 650,000$39.9 | โฑ 3,500$61.4 | Jakarta โ35% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 5,000,000$307 | โฑ 25,000$439 | Jakarta โ30% |
| Laundry | Rp 12,000$0.74 | โฑ 60$1.05 | Jakarta โ30% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 97,000$5.95 | โฑ 350$6.14 | similar |
| Haircutcut | Rp 50,000$3.07 | โฑ 180$3.16 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 170,000$10.4 | โฑ 500$8.77 | Manila โ16% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 450,000$27.6 | โฑ 1,500$26.3 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 97,000$5.95 | โฑ 150$2.63 | Manila โ56% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Jakarta or Manila?
Jakarta is 34% cheaper than Manila. Daily budget $69.7 vs $107; a month $1,138 vs $1,683.
Which is easier to travel, Jakarta or Manila?
About the same: Jakarta 2.8/5, Manila 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Jakarta and Manila?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Jakarta is about $1,138 and Manila about $1,683 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.